President Yoweri Museveni has strongly advised the people of Sigulu Sub-County in Namayingo district, to stop destroying Lake Victoria by catching immature fish as well as cultivating at the edge of the water body.
He said cultivation on the shore is a negative act on the life of the lake because it will cause its silting and lead to the subsequent drying up of the lake.
“This is free wealth but you have misused this free wealth. I really feel very sorry and annoyed. Our fishermen catch immature fish. How will the fish survive and multiply?” he wondered.
The President, who was on a mobilization tour of Namayingo district in Busoga Sub-Region to sensitize wanainchi on household poverty eradication, made the remarks yesterday while addressing the residents of Bukooli Island at Bugoma Primary school.
Mr. Museveni, who described the Lake Victoria as a free gift from God, observed that when NRM came to power in 1986 there was no fish factory in Uganda.
He added that the government built one at Masese in Jinja district that attracted 20 more players in the sector generating US$200 million annually.
He noted that wanainchi depleted the lake of fish using illegal fishing methods resulting in many factories folding up their activities.
He said that of that negative activity, the country’s earnings from fish sales dropped to only US$80 million annually. He appealed to elders on the Island to be at the forefront in stopping the illegal activities of catching immature fish.
The President, however, expressed his gratitude to see that the people of Sigulu Island, who are predominantly fishermen, have started engaging in agriculture.
He warned them against cultivating on the edge of Lake Victoria adding that this would cause silting and eventually lead to the drying up of the Lake and the killing of the fishing activity that is now one of their pre-occupations.
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